District 1 Arts Festival. Image by Brian Hatton
Mission
Abrons Arts Center builds a community where artists, learners, and audiences explore creative possibilities. Rooted in the immigrant and working-class history of our Lower East Side neighborhood, we offer free and affordable exhibitions, performances, classes, residencies, and space access.
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
Nulelìntàmuhëna èli paèkw Lenapehoking
Kulawsihëmo ènta ahpièkw.
Nooleelundamuneen eeli payeekw Lunaapeewahkiing. Wulaawsiikw neeli apiiyeekw.
We are glad because you people came to Lenapehoking. Live well when you are here.
Abrons Arts Center is situated on the Lenape island of Manhahtaan (Mannahatta) in Lenapehoking, the Lenape homeland. We pay respect to Lenape peoples, past, present, and future and their continuing presence in the homeland and throughout the Lenape diaspora. We offer our care and gratitude to the land, water and air of Lenapehoking, and are committed to resisting colonialism and imbalance with Mother Earth through the support of Indigenous-led programming and Indigenous artistic practices.
Thank you to the Lenape Center and Emily Johnson for their partnership in developing Abrons Arts Center’s Indigenous Land Acknowledgement.
Vision
We envision a future where…
…our neighborhood is resourced, abundant with imagination, and inclusive – where art, like social services, is a vital public good for every New Yorker.
…our Center is a place where stories are shared, history is made, and solidarity is nurtured – where people gather to create, learn, and connect.
…our work is sustained, balanced, and meaningful – where we model care for one another and advance opportunities for the next generation of artists.
Values
We believe in the power of creativity, experimentation, and action–
Creativity
We believe making and experiencing art is essential for personal and community well-being. Art helps us connect to each other, reflect on the past, and seed the future.
Experimentation
We believe learning and experimentation leads to growth. It is vital for people to try new things, take risks, and question the world around them.
Action
We believe we play a part in building a more caring and just world than the one we inherited. It is our responsibility to address the impacts of structural oppression, share resources, and remove the obstacles that separate us from our neighbors.
The Abrons Arts Center Mission, Vision and Values statements were developed with the support of Alejandra Duque Cifuentes and Carrie Blake of ADC Consulting.